Clockstoppers (2002)

A teenager accidentally activates a machine that enables him to speed up his body so that other people seem to be standing still.

Director:

Jonathan Frakes

Writers:

Rob Hedden (story), Andy Hedden (story)

Stars:

Jesse Bradford, French Stewart, Paula Garcés

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesse Bradford	...	Zak Gibbs
French Stewart	...	Dr. Earl Dopler
Paula Garcés	...	Francesca
Michael Biehn	...	Henry Gates
Robin Thomas	...	Dr. Gibbs
Garikayi Mutambirwa	...	Meeker
Julia Sweeney	...	Jenny Gibbs
Lindze Letherman	...	Kelly Gibbs
Jason George	...	Richard (as Jason Winston George)
Linda Kim	...	Jay
Ken Jenkins	...	NSA Agent Moore
Esperanza Catubig	...	Ticket Agent
Jennifer Manley	...	Security Officer
Scott Thomson	...	Tourist Dad
Deborah Rawlings	...	Tourist Mom

Storyline

Until now, Zak Gibbs' greatest challenge has been finding a way to buy a car. But when he discovers an odd wristwatch amidst his father's various inventions and slips it on, something very strange happens. The world around him seemingly comes to a stop; giving the effect that everyone has come to a stop. Zak quickly learns how to manipulate the device, and he and his quick-witted, beautiful new friend, Francesca, have some real fun. What they soon realize, though, is they are not alone in hypertime.

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Plot Keywords:

wristwatch | laboratory | fast motion scene | high school | on the run | 

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Taglines:

Freeze the future

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for action violence and mild language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ajanpysäyttäjät

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,108,333, 31 March 2002

Gross USA:

$36,985,501

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Valhalla Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jonathan Frakes: in the background as a janitor behind Zak, Francesca, and Dopler as they look for parts at the science symposium.

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Goofs

The roof scene is flipped - the writing on signs on both the door and the wall have the text reversed.

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Quotes

Zak Gibbs: I didn't know you knew Karate.
Franceseca: I don't. That was ballet.

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Crazy Credits

The Nickelodeon Movies logo swings from left to right like a pendulum.

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Alternate Versions

Although the cinema version was intact the UK DVD was cut by 4 secs by the BBFC to remove a 'potentially dangerous imitable technique' (an aerosol can being punctured with a knife) for a PG rating.

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Connections

References The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite (1981)

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Soundtracks

Time After Time
by Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman
Performed by Uncle Kracker
Produced by Mike Bradford
Uncle Kracker performs courtesy of Lava / Atlantic Recording Corporation

User Reviews

A really cute, imaginative movie - good for kids and adults alike.

The story of Clockstoppers centers around a very cute teenage boy who is good at a lot of things, extreme bike-riding with lots of incredible tricks, playing a guitar, riding a skateboard, fighting with his sister...

His mom, played by Julia Sweeney of "Saturday Night Live" and "It's Pat" fame is a doting, (and docile) mom but his father, a college professor, is much more involved in his students' lives than in Zak's life. This causes a lot of conflict between them and Zak tries to get his father to understand how he feels. His dad looks guilty but professes that Zak is exaggerating. When he has promised to go with Zak to look at a car that is Zak's heart's desire, his dad suddenly has to go away to help an old student who is having a problem with an invention.

The invention is a wrist watch that can be activated to put the wearer into "hyper-time". After the father leaves, Zak finds the watch and puts it on, thinking it is only a watch. While visiting a girl he has recently met, Zak pushes the button to check the time and voila! Time stops. To the viewer it appears to freeze everyone and everything else, but then you begin to notice that drops of water from the sprinkler are still falling, just falling a millimeter per second; a hummingbird suspended in mid-air is still flapping his wings, but so slowly that you can barely see the movement. However, Zak, and anyone who is touching him when he activates hyper-time is moving at what appears to be a normal speed.

Zak is stunned at first but eventually realizes what has happened and, as a typical teenage boy, proceeds to have some fun with it, along with the girl he wants to impress! Some of the tricks they pull are hysterical and lead you to imagine what you might do if you got ahold of this watch!

Of course, there must be an evil plot behind this somewhere, and we soon learn what that is. This leads to grave danger for Zak, his dad and Zak's new girlfriend and also provides for some fun car chase scenes.

The movie, of course, requires you to suspend disbelief and if you aren't capable of that, skip the movie! Otherwise you are only going to spend the hour criticizing the scientific aspects of "hyper-time" and annoying everyone around you who has some imagination and is having a good time.

The movie is directed by Jonathan Frakes, who played Commander Riker on Star Trek, the Next Generation. He apparently learned a lot during his STNG days and puts it to good use in this science fiction fun-fest. Thanks Number One. You made it so.